Power unit



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June 17, 14941.

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POWER UNIT Filed May 15,` 1940 June 17,1941. W GUlER 2,246,478

POWERUNIT Filed May 15, 1940 2 `Sheets-Sheet 2 ll-lmlu il A YNVENTOR BKM/Ham Gu/e/f Patented June, 17, 1.941

POWER UNIT William Guier, Tulsa, Okla., assignor to Unit Rig & Equipment Company, Tulsa, Okla., a partnership composed oi' Jerry Underwood, {Hugh Chancey, William Guier, and Ray E. Carter Application May 15, 1940, Serial No. 335,395

(AC1. (iO- 97) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a power unil'l for operating the mechanism of a rotarywell drilling rig or similar equipment wherein variable amounts of power are required to operate the individual units thereof, and at times when an extremely large amount of power is required. For example, in rotary drilling of wells, it is usually the practice to provide one engine for operating the mud pump whereby a drilling fluid is circulated from the bottom of the bore-hole to carry the cuttings to the top of the well and another engine is employed to operate the draw-works and rotary. It so happens that the mud or slush pump requires a great deal of horse-power but only a limited amount of power is required to operate the rotary. However, when running in and withdrawing the drilling string, maximum horse-power is required and to provide for such occasions it is becoming the practice to compound the two engines to provide for cases requiring maximum horse-power,

and when running the drill pipe or casing the mud pump is uncoupled from the compounded unit.

plurality of individual power units so that they are readily selectively connectable to assure adequate power in performing the respective operations with the least possible horse-power.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a simple compact compounding arrangement ccmpletely housed in an oil-tightcase; to provide the connecting assemblies for ready removal from the case; to provide for ready inspection of any of the compound drives; and to provide a compound arrangement readily separable from the engines or motor units and which can be readily assembled in a minimum of time with the least possible effort.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a compound unit wherein the over-all ,width of the assembly is reduced by mounting the drive pulleys on the inside of the compound connections to provide a compounding arrangement wherein there is a more balanced and centralized pull between the power units and their driven mechanisms to eliminate weaving and distortion of the unit assemblies.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a compounding arrangementv having continuity of line, which has a minimum of operating levers, and which is provided with a maximum number of interchangeable parts all easily accessible even though tightly housed in an oil-tight case.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, hereinafter pointed out, I have pro-l vided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a 'power'unit for a rotary well drilling apparatus wherein the engines are compounded in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged horizontal section through the compounding connection particularly illustrating the oil-tight case in which the various drives and clutches are contained.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a power unit constructed in accordance with the present invention, and which includes a plurality of internal combustion en gines here shown as three in number, 2, 3 and 4, that are mounted on a suitable base frame including sills 5 and 6 interconnected by cross-members 'I and 8. The engines are mounted on transverse sills 5 and 6 at one end thereof, the draw-works II being mounted on the oppositel ends of the sills in alignment with the rotary of a drilling rig (not shown).

'Ihe draw-works may be of any conventional design in that it includes a winding drum and a driving connection with a rotary by means of a chain or the like I2. Power is selectively trans'- mitted to the chain I2 and windingdrum or windlass from a shaft I3 projecting through a bearing in a side of the draw-works and carrying Y a sprocket I4 which is secured thereto by a spline I5. Also keyed on the shaft alongside the sprocket is an impeller I6 yfor centrifugally dis charging .a lubricant as later described. When the motor units are-mounted on the cross-sills `9 and l0, the power shafts I1, I8 and I9 thereof ycouplings 23, 24 and 25 with shaft extensions 26, 2l and 28 respectively. The shaft extensions are enclosed within an oil-tight` casing 29 of sumcient length to enclose the sprocket I4 at one end and to house a driven shaft 30 at the other. The casing 29 includes parallel sidewalls 3l and 32 connected by a top 33 and a bottom 34. The end enclosing the shaft 30 is preferably rounded, as at 35, while the opposite end Aextends downwardly to form an oiLsump 3B therein closed at the end by a vertical wall 31 rounding into the downwardly inclined portion 38 of the top as indicated at 39. The shaft extensions 26, 21 and 28 are rotatably supported in bearings 40 and 6i housed within recesses 42 and 43 in bearing plates 44 and B5 closing openings 46 and 41 in the sides of the casing. The plates 44 and 45 are removably secured to the sides of the housing by suitable fastening devices, such as screws A8, extending through openings 49 in the plates and into threaded sockets 50 formed in the side walls of the casing. Each outer plate 45 has a cap 5I closing over the end of the shafts so as to avoid necessity of a packing. The inner bearing plates, however, carry packing elements 52 encircling the shaft and retained in sealing engagement therewith by rings 53 suitably secured to the bearing plates.

Secured to the shaft extension 26 by a spline 5d is a sprocket 55 aligned with the sprocket-iii whereby the sprocket lil is actuated from the engine 2 through a chain 53 operating o ver the respective sprockets. Power of the engine 3 may also be utilized in operating the shaft i3 of the draw-works, since the shaft extension 26 also carries a sprocket 51 secured thereto by a spline 58 which aligns with Ya sprocket 59 ordinarily freely rotatable on the shaft extension 21. The sprockets 51 and 59 are interconnected by an Vendless chain 60. The hub 6i of the sprocket 53 is provided with a clutch face S2 which is engageable by a similar face 63 on a clutch collar S, the clutch collar 54 being slidably connected with the shaft 21 by a spline 55. The clutch collar is actuated by a yoke 66 having suitable connection with an operating lever 51, Fig. l.

lin order to accommodate the clutch collar St, the bearing plate 45 for that shaft is carried by an offset 68 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is thus obvious that when the clutch collar is moved into engagement with the hub of the sprocket 59, the engine 3 is also eective in driving the drawworks so that the power thereof is added'to the power of the engine 2.

Also keyed on the shaft extension 21 by a spline B9 is a sprocket 10 aligning with the sprockets l5 and 55 previously described, which connects by an endless chain li with a sprocket 12 secured by a spline 13 to the shaft extension 28 whereby the power of the engined is compounded with the power of the engines 2 and 3 when the clutch collar is engaged with the sprocket 59. The shaft 30 is mounted in bearing plates similar to the bearing plates previously described and carries a sprocket 14 rotated by a sprocket .15 which is secured to the shaft 28 by a spline 16, the sprocket 16 being rotated through a chain connection 'l1 operating over the respective sprockets. The sprocket 15 is adapted to drive the shaft 30 through a clutch collar 18 that is slidably keyed on the shaft by a spline 19, the clutch collar being provided with a clutch face' 30 engageable with a similar clutch face 8| on the hub of the sprocket 14. The clutch collar 18 is actuated by a suitable shifting yoke 82 operably connected with a lever 83 as clearlyshownin Fig. 1. The shaft 30 projects through the engine side of the case and carries a drivingjpulley 84, xed to the projecting end thereof and provided with a plurality of v grooves 85 for driving belts 86 running over the driving pulley 81 of a mud pump 80 whereby the drilling uid is circulated under pressure to and from the bore-hole as in conventional drilling provided with suitable inspection openings 90 normally closed by plates 9|. The offset' and Y top portion of the casing above the clutch collar 18 are provided with openings 92 closed b'y suitable lids 93.

The modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 shows the compounding of two engine units 99 and |00 wherein the power shafts are adapted to operate separately`pulleys |0| and |02 carried on the projecting ends of shafts |53 -journaled in the ends of a casing i04 similar to the shaft 30 previously described, the pulleys 30B and |02 being located on the engine side of the casing so as to provide a compact structure and better distribute the driving streSes between the engines and their load. The engines 99 and |00 are interconnected through a driving connection in the same manner as the engines 2 and 3 above described, the connecting clutch being mounted on the driven shaft for the engine |00 and operated by a suitable lever |05.

Referring to the operation of. the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and assuming that the mud pump is being operated simultaneously with operation of the rotary, the clutch collar 18 is connected in driving relation 'with the sprocket 14 whereby the 'engines 3 and are compounded to drive the mud pump through the sprockets 10 and 12, chain 1|, and sprockets 1H, 15 and chain 11. Under normal drilling operations, the clutch collar 04 will be disengaged from the sprocket 59, whereby the sprocket 59 may idle on the shaft 21. The rotary is therefore operated solely by the engine 2 through the sprocket 55, chain 55 and sprocket l. When running in and withdrawing the drilling string, or handling the casing, maximum power is required on the draw-works, and as at this time the mud pump is shut down, the clutch collar i3 is disconnected from the sprocket 15 and the clutch collar 84 is engaged with the sprocket 59 so that all of the engines 2, 3 and 4 are eiective in operating the draw-works.

It is obvious that I have provided a simple arrangement for selectively compounding the respective engines so as to provide adequate horsepower for operating the mud pump and rotary and that when greater power is required to operate the draw-works, all of the engines may be effectively compounded to perform the required operations.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4,'

the pulley i02 may be Yconnected with the mud pump similar to the pulley 84, while the other pulley |0| .may be utilized for driving the drawworks or other operated mechanism. With this arrangement, the unit 99 may be of suitable horse-power to operate the rotary, and the unit |00 of suitable horse-power to drive the drawworks` when greater power is required. It is obvious that the arrangement of the pulleys 84, 10| and |02 on the inside of the casings provides for better distribution of the .pull and working without any clutching means other than the engine clutches 20 and 22. ItV is also obvious that all the compounding connections are completely housed in an oil-tight casing and that the casing is suitably constructed to permit of ready assembly oi the driving parts and inspectionof any of the drives merely by removing theinspection covers.

The units compounded as described provide a multiple drive system,having continuity of line, are of compact construction, require no adjustment, and have power operating levers with all of the moving parts operating in oil adequately circulated by an impeller on one of the shafts.

'It is also obvious that the sprockets are of like design and may be readily interchanged so that few standard parts are required in servicing the equipment. t i l What I claim and desire to secure by'Letters Patent is:

selectively rendering one of said driving connections ineffective whereby the engines individually operate the driven shafts.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of engines having power shafts arranged in parallel, a unitary driving mechanism connecting the power shafts of the engines including an elongated casing having bearings journalling shaft extensions for said power shafts, shaft extensions journalled in said bearings, driven shafts journalled in the respective ends of the` casing, driving connections.

in the casing for connecting the shaft extensions, driving connections in the casing for connecting the driven shafts with the adjacent shaft-extensions, clutch means for selectively rendering one of said connections effective whereby all of the engines are connected to one of the driven shafts, clutch means for selectively rendering the driving connection for the other driven shaft effective when all of the engines are coupled to the first driven shaft, means on one ofthe shafts for 1. An apparatus of the character described,

including a plurality of engines having power shafts arranged in parallel, a drivenshaft arranged in parallel relation with the power shafts, shaftr extensions for the power shafts of the engines, driving connections between the power shaft extensions and one of the power shaft extensions and the driven shaft, said first named driving connection including a clutch for selectively coupling the engines, a lubricant-tight casing enclosing said driving connections, bearings in the casing, journalling the shaft extensions, couplings for detachably connecting the shaft extensions with the power shafts, and means on one of the shafts for moving a lubricant in the casing. i, 2. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality of engines having power shafts arranged in parallel, shaft extensions for the power shafts, an elongated casing having bearings journalling the power shaft extensions,

means exteriorly of the casing for detachably coupling the power shaft extensions with the power shafts of the engines, driven shafts journalled in the respective ends of the casing, driving connections in the casing for connecting the power shaft extensions, driving connections in the casing for connecting the driven shafts with the adjacent power shaft extensions, one of Isaid driving connections including a clutch for selectively coupling all of the engines to one of the driven shafts, and clutch means for selectively rendering the driving connection for the other driven shaft ineffective'when all of the engines are coupled to the lfirst driven shaft.

3. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality of engines' having power shafts arranged in parallel, shaft extensions for the power shafts, an elongated casing having bearings journalling the shaft extensions, means exteriorly of the casing for detachably connecting the shaft extensions in coaxial alignment with the power shafts, driven shafts journalled in the respective end s of the casing, a driving connection in the casing for connecting the shaft.

extensions, driving connections in the casing for connecting each of the driven shafts with the adjacent-shaft extension,'and clutch means for circulating a lubricant in the casing, and couplings connecting the shaft extensions in coaxial alignment with the power shafts to support said unitary driving mechanism.

5. In combination with a plurality of engines having parallel driving shafts, a draw-works and a slush pump located in direct longitudinal alignment with each other, pairs 'of sprockets on the driving shafts, flexible connections operating over the sprockets on an intermediate driving shaft and one of the sprockets on the other of said driving shafts to couple said driving shafts, one ofr the sprockets on the intermediate driving shaft being loosely mounted, a clutch selectively connecting said loosely'mounted sprocket with said intermediate driving shaft, a casing enclosing said driving connections, driven shafts journalled in `the endof the casing adjacent the draw-Works and the slush pump respectively, a sprocket loosely mounted on one of the driven shafts, a flexible driving connection between said last named sprocket and a sprocket on the adjacent driving shaft, a driving connection between the other driven shaftand the immediately adjacent driving shaft', a driving member on the driven shaft adjacent the slush pump, a flexible connection connecting the driving member with the slush pump, and a clutch selectively connecting the sprocket on said lastvnamed driven shaft.'

said other driven shaft being connected in driving relation with the draw-works.

6. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality of engines, a driven member having a driving connection with one of said engines, a second driven member having driving connection with the other of said engines, and a coupling connection between said engines including a clutch for selectively connecting said engines, said driven members being located in direct alignment with each other with respect to the longitudinal direction of said driving connections.

7. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality of engines, means interconnecting said engines, a driven member having a driving connection with one'of said engines, a second driven member having driving connection with two ofvsaid engines, clutch means selectively connecting all of said engines with the first named driven member, and a second clutch means for. selectively disconnecting said last named driven member, said driven members being located in directy alignment with each other with loosely mounted, a clutch selectivelyvc'onnecting said sprocket with the driving shaft, a driving connection between the draw-worksl shaft and the adjacent driving shaft, a casing enclosingl said driving connections, a driven shaft journailed in the end of the casing adjacent the slush pump, a sprocket loosely mounted on the last named driven shaft, a iiexible driving connection between said last named loosely mounted sprocket and a sprocket on the adjacent driving shaft, a driving memberon the last named driven shaft, l

- a flexible connection connecting the driving member with the slush pump shaft, and'a clutch selectively connecting the sprocket on the last named driven shaft.

9. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality of engines having. shafts arranged in parallel, extensions for said engine shafts, a casing journalling said extensions, drivenshafts journalled in the casing in parallel relation with the engine shafts and having ends projecting from the casing on the engine side thereof, driving connections between said shafts,

and couplings connecting the engine shafts with the extensions whereby the casing and said elements carried thereby are removable as a unit. 10. In combination with a plurality of engines having power shafts arranged inv parallel rela-v tion, means mounting the engines for support as a single unit, means connecting said engines including an elongated casing, shaft extensions rotatably mounted in the casing in alignment with the respective power shafts, couplings interconnecting the power shafts with the shaft extensions exteriorly of the casing whereby the casing and shaft extensions are adapted for removal as a single unit, and driving connections in the casing between said shaft extensions.

11. In combination with a. plurality of engines having power shafts arranged in parallel relation, means mounting the engines for support as a single unit, means connecting said engines including an elongated casing, shaft extensions rotatably mounted in the casing inalignment with the respective power shafts, couplings interconnecting the power shafts with the shaft extensions exteriorly of the casing whereby the casing and shaft extensions are adapted for removal as a single unit, driving connections in the casing between said shaft extensions, driven shafts journalled in the respective ends of the casing. driving members on said shafts aligning with each. other in the longitudinal direction with respect to the driving connections, and means connecting the adjacent shaft extensions with the driven shafts.

WILLIAM GUIER. 

